History of Papua New Guinea

The prehistory of Papua New Guinea can be traced to about 50,000–60,000 years ago, when people first migrated towards the Australian continent. Agriculture was established at least 7000 years ago in the New Guinea Highlands. Extensive trade networks operated throughout the region, and successive waves of migration included the spread of Austronesian languages around 3000 years ago, and the rise of the Lapita culture.

In 1545 the Spanish explorer Yñigo Ortiz de Retez was the first person to give the name "New Guinea" to the main island. European colonisation began in the 1880s when the eastern portion of New Guinea was divided between the German Empire and the British Empire. In WWI, the Allies took control of German New Guinea. After the war ended, the League of Nations gave Australia a mandate to administer the former German territory. In 1949, an Act was passed by the Parliament of Australia to form the administrative union of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea. On 16 September 1975, the Territory gained independence from Australia and became a sovereign state known as the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.

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